4/4 70th Anniversary Morgan

January 7, 2006 There are many motor manufacturers who can claim 70 years of continuous production, but there is only one that can claim 70 years of continuous production of the same model = Morgan Motor Company. Launched in 1936, the Morgan 4/4 remains in full production today and to celebrate the vehicle’s unique achievement, Morgan Motor Company has unveiled a special model. Appropriately named "70th Anniversary", just 142 cars will be built - two cars for every year of its production life since launch. Each car will be individually marked with the year it honours, and finished in appropriate period style for that year. The 142 Anniversary cars will be priced at UKP 27,950 and production begins this month and will run until November 2006.

With the specification subtly changing through the decades with period colours, trims and hood styles, the standard specification of fold flat windscreen, vintage dashboard, sheepskin bonnet strap and drilled steel wheels with chrome hub caps, all add highly visual links to the past.

A strong galvanised steel chassis carries coachbuilt bodywork of aluminium panels over an ash frame, built to the same tradition as the 1930s.

The 70th Anniversary limited edition cars have been fully tested and developed to meet all of the latest crash and emission standards with the latest 4/4s being powered by the super efficient 1.8 litre 125 bhp Ford Duratec engine.

Charles Morgan, Director and Grandson of the Company’s founder said, "we are really proud to celebrate this anniversary. We have made nearly 10,000 4/4s over the years. The fact that we have kept the essence and character of the car, whilst keeping the functionality and safety totally current is a testament to the original design, and the skills and ingenuity of our engineers at the factory in Malvern."

After Editing or Managing over 50 print publications primarily in the role of a Magazine Doctor, Mike embraced the internet full-time in 1995 and became a "start-up all-rounder" – quite a few start-ups later, he founded Gizmag in 2002. Now he can write again. All articles by Mike Hanlon